


Popcorn and Cranberries

by Highlander_II



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Christmas, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-25
Updated: 2008-10-16
Packaged: 2017-10-02 02:06:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Highlander_II/pseuds/Highlander_II
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Christmas fic challenge response. Christmas with the Scoobies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Dawn, why are we doing this?" Buffy asked with a whine and a snarl.

Dawn sneered at her sister. "Because it's Christmas. Buffy, why are you always so insensitive?" She stomped ahead, still sneering.

"I'm not insensitive," Buffy snapped and quickened her pace to catch up with Dawn.

*****

"Xander, hurry up! We have to be there soon. Come on." Anya gathered items into a box, grabbed her coat - her movements quick and erratic.

"Anya, honey, calm down. We have time." He stepped out of her way as she rushed by him.

"I just don't want to be late." She pushed a red and white Santa hat onto his head. "Perfect. Now, come on." She dragged him out the door, shoving the box at him as they went.

*****

Angel shuffled his feet and stopped walking. He turned to the woman following him. "Cordelia, why are we here again?"

Cordelia frowned at him, hands on her hips, already annoyed that she had to walk through the sewers, moreso at his stopping and making it take longer. "Because we were invited. Plus, it's polite. Now come on." She tugged on his arm, turned him around, pushed him to start walking again. At least she had talked him into carrying the gifts.

*****

"Oh dear lord," Giles gasped at the box-laden redhead on his doorstep.

"A little help, please," Willow begged from behind the tower of boxes in her arms.

"Yes. Of course. I'm sorry." He grabbed several of the boxes from the stack and carried them inside to his desk. "What is all this?"

Willow frowned. "Presents."

Giles sighed. "Yes. I'm aware of that. Why did you bring them here?"

"So Dawn and Xander don't shake them to death trying to figure out what they are."

"Ah." Giles nodded.

*****

"Buffy, will you come on?" Dawn whined, exasperated, still walking.

"I just don't understand why we have to do this. We never did before." She stopped beside her sister, still holding the holly wreath she had been ordered to carry. Dawn knocked on the door and they waited.

They heard mutterings and growls and stomping before the door was hauled open and a messy-haired, half-dressed, blond vampire appeared. "What?" he snapped, rubbing his eyes and scratching his head.

Dawn blinked and looked the vampire over, admiring the musculature and flannel pants. Then she smiled and held up a string of popcorn and cranberries. "Hi, Spike. We made this for you."

"Huh?" he grumbled and tried to focus on the object in her hands. "Why?" He backed into the crypt and waved the Summers ladies inside so he could close the door.

"It's to decorate your crypt. We brought you a wreath t..." she stopped when she turned around and saw the tallest tree she had seen since before her mother had died.

Buffy turned too and gasped. "Spike... why is there a tree in your crypt? And why does it blink?" So amazed by the sight, she shoved the wreath at his naked chest - "Here." - and walked toward the tree. "It's..." stunned, she could say no more.

"Ow," he growled at the holly against his skin. "It's just a tree."

Dawn turned to him. "No. Spike, it's not just a tree." She looked down at her limp popcorn and dehydrating cranberries sadly, knowing they would have no place on his wonderful tree with the colorful paper chains and bright ornaments.

"It's beautiful," Buffy managed.

Spike blinked and could say nothing. A genuine compliment from the Slayer was better than any Christmas gift. Not that he would refuse those either. The Slayer turned to face him, then crossed the crypt, took the wreath from him, handed it to Dawn, who hissed and bounced at being poked, then kissed him. He blinked again and gaped at her.

Buffy smiled and pointed over his head. "Whoever decorated your tree, hung mistletoe on your ceiling."

His face fell as he realized she had not knowingly complimented him. She thought someone had decorated for him. His work and effort would go unnoticed yet one more time. "Well, thanks for stopping by. I have things to do, so, you'll have to go now."

"Oh, okay. Here." Dawn handed the wreath and popcorn-cranberry string to him, then turned to go, tugging Buffy with her. She pushed Buffy to the door, but turned over her shoulder to invite Spike to Christmas dinner.

"Dunno, Lil' Bit."

"Please?"

"Just go." He turned away from them and waited until he heard the door close before he dropped the gifts from the Summers ladies to the floor, then stalked to the tree and yanked the plug out of the extension cord and it faded to darkness.

*****

"Drive faster, Xander," Anya snarled from the passenger seat. "We're going to be late. And all because you forgot the eggnog."

Xander sighed and took several deep breaths before responding, "We're not going to be late. We have plenty of time. And, if you hadn't been rushing me, I wouldn't have forgotten the eggnog." He took a turn a little too fast and felt Anya scowling at him because she was afraid he would spill her box. She had hustled around all morning, baking and stirring and cooking and mixing. Buffy had invited them over for Christmas dinner and Anya had insisted on doing part of the cooking, which was fine until she started going overboard with the "traditional" dishes. Stuffing, cranberry sauce, rolls, greenbean casserole, sweet potatoes, three different pies, fruit cake and even latkes for Hanukah because she remembered Willow was Jewish. He thought it was sweet, if a little overwhelming.

"You put the gifts in the back right? You didn't forget the gifts?" she asked, staring at him.

"Yes, Ahn. I got the gifts. Everything is fine."

*****

"What is wrong with you?" Dawn snapped at Buffy as they were walking home.

"What?"

"Geez, it's Christmas and you can't stop hating Spike long enough to be nice for just today?"

Buffy glared. "I was being nice!"

"Yeah, until you told Spike that he had a great decorator..."

Buffy glared again, confused now.

"...That wasn't him." Dawn shook her head and stomped ahead of her sister, crossing the street as a car rumbled by behind her.

Running to catch up, Buffy had to wait for the car, then darted across the street. She caught Dawn's arm and pulled her to a stop. "What are you talking about?"

Dawn sighed. "You really are an idiot, Buffy. You know that?" She watched her sister scowl. "Spike did all the decorating. The tree, the candles in the window, the rug you were standing on and didn't even notice. Why he still likes you, I will never understand."

*****

"So, Giles, you ready to go? Anya's got some goodies baked if I heard Xander correctly."

"Were we, uh, supposed to make anything?" he asked, handing an empty glass to Willow to put in the sink.

She smiled. "Oh, no. Anya and Buffy were going to handle the food. We were just in charge of hiding the presents."

"Right. Shall we then?" He motioned to the door and Willow nodded.

They started taking the gifts to Giles' car. Somehow, all the boxes fit into the trunk and they were almost ready to go. Willow came up from the flat with the last two boxes. She held one up, studying it. "Who is this from?" She examined the patchwork wrapping with curiosity.

"Oh, that one's from Spike," Giles replied.

Willow blinked. "Spike played Pollyanna with us?"

"I think Dawn talked him into it."

"I think it's nice. A little odd, but nice." She put Spike's wrapped box into the trunk with the others, then settled herself in the passenger seat and waited for Giles.

*****

Angel and Cordelia approached the Summers' house - Cordelia now carrying the boxes, Angel hiding from the late afternoon sun beneath a blanket. He knocked on the door and waited.

"Is anyone even here?" Cordelia asked, turning to look down the sidewalk.

"We're a little early," Angel informed.

Cordelia sighed and turned back to him. "Yes, but who's gone on Christmas?"

"We are," he pointed out.

"Yes," she huffed, "but we didn't invite anyone over."

The door swung open and a lovely woman Angel had seen once before stood before him. "You're not Buffy," the woman stated.

"No. I'm Angel."

"I know that. We've met," the woman snapped.

Cordelia looked at the woman in the doorway. "Anya? From high school?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes." Anya sneered.

"You don't remember me, do you?"

"Yes. You're Cordelia."

"Right," Cordelia confirmed.

"Why are you here?"

Xander's voice carried through the house to the porch. "Anya, Buffy invited them. Let them in."

Anya stepped aside and let the LA visitors into the house.

"Where's Buffy?" Angel asked.

"Not here yet. She and Dawn had to run an errand," Xander informed. "Have a seat."

Angel and Cordelia made their way into the living room to sit with Xander and Anya.

*****

Still grousing, Dawn stomped up the stairs and threw the door open. Inside, she was greeted by Anya. "Hey, you're under the mistletoe. I must now kiss you."

"Uh, Anya..." Dawn countered.

"No. It's tradition! I already kissed Giles and Willow." She beamed and leaned in to kiss Dawn on the mouth. "I love these holiday traditions!" She said and continued to the kitchen.

"Uh huh." Dawn made her way into the living room full of friends. "Wow! I didn't expect everyone to show up while we were gone." She hugged Cordelia and Angel, then sat at Angel's feet, smiling.

Buffy entered the house and closed the door.

"Oh, now you're under..." Anya began.

Buffy put a hand out to stop her and looked up at the frame over the door. "Can we take that down? Please?" She looked into the living room with pleading eyes.

Angel pushed from his chair and walked to the entryway. "Yeah. I'll get it." He reached up and plucked the sprig of mistletoe from the door and handed it to Anya. She wandered off with it muttering. Angel let a hand rest on Buffy's shoulder. "Merry Christmas, Buffy."

She smiled up at him. "Thank you."

"Do I need mistletoe to kiss you?" he asked. She shook her head and he leaned down for his kiss.

*****

"Buggering, stinking, sodding, stupid, bloody, bitch Slayer!" Spike snarled at the empty crypt. "Nothing's ever enough. To hell with you then!" He took a sip of his drink. "This is the worst eggnog ever. I don't think adding alcohol would help." He put his drink down and spotted the wreath and the popcorn-cranberry string. With a sigh, he picked up both. He hung the wreath on the inside of his door, then draped the popcorn and cranberries around the tree. "Thanks, Nibblet."

*****

"Presents!" Dawn exclaimed and jumped up to help Willow pass them out to everyone. "Hey, there's an extra one," she commented, holding up a box wrapped in bright pink, foil paper.

Buffy looked up from her mug of cider. "That one's for Spike," she stated plainly.

"Oh." Dawn held the gift and stared at the floor.

"You drew _Spike_'s name?" Angel asked, a hint of jealousy lacing his voice.

"Yes. I didn't even know he wanted to play. Pollyanna wasn't my idea. It was Anya's," Buffy responded, as though Pollyanna being Anya's idea should explain everything.

"And she let _Spike_ participate?" Angel asked incredulously.

Dawn glared, hard. "Why not? God, why does everyone think Spike has to be left out of everything because he's a vampire? Angel's a vampire. It's CHRISTMAS!" she howled.

Angel blinked and sat back in his chair. "You're right, Dawn. I'm sorry."

"Is he coming?" Anya asked expectantly.

Dawn shrugged. "He didn't really say." She glared at Buffy.

Anya took the gift from Dawn and placed it under the tree. "Well, we'll just leave this here for now. If he comes, he can open it." She smiled brightly at the room. "Now, open your gifts!"

Tearing and ripping and pulling and crinkling, the gifts were unwrapped and examined and commented on with words of approval all around. Even from Xander who had received the patchwork-wrapped gift from Spike.

"How did he know?" Xander asked Buffy while she was checking the Christmas ham.

"I don't know, Xander." She closed the oven and leaned against the counter, her arms crossed over her chest.

Xander moved around the island and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah." She shook her head and moved away from him.

"But..." Xander prompted.

"But, Dawn said some things. A lot of things really, that made me think."

"Think what? That you should stop being the Slayer just because it's Christmas?"

"No. That I should be nice to Spike because it's Christmas."

"Why? He's still the same old Spike."

"The same old Spike who got you something you wanted for Christmas without asking you."

Xander looked at the floor, then back at Buffy. "You invited him to dinner, right?"

Buffy looked away.

"You didn't?"

"No. _I_ didn't. Dawn did. And he's not going to come and..."

"Isn't that a good thing? Spike comes, madness ensues. Big vampire fight-y-ness with Angel?"

"Yeah. Probably." She took several breaths. "Hey, go make sure the table's set. Dinner's almost ready."

"Sure thing." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and strode off to the dining room.

*****

Anya helped Buffy carry food dishes to the table. With each dish, Buffy would look expectantly to the door. Waiting. The fourth time through, Dawn snapped at her that Spike was not coming and it was all her fault. Buffy just sneered and returned to the kitchen.

All the food on the table and ready, everyone sat down to eat. They blessed the food - even Angel - and began serving. Buffy still kept looking to the door. Angel, finally to the point where it was driving him crazy, asked, "Buffy, are you expecting someone?"

She shook her head. "No. I guess not. He's not coming."

"Who?" was the simultaneous question from most of the table. Dawn just glared.

"Spike. He's really not coming." She put her fork down and lowered her head. She had expected a pounding knock at the door and his brash demand to be allowed to have dinner too, but - nothing. Not even a timid knock to leave a decade-old fruitcake on the front porch. Nothing. "He's really not coming."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hi, Spike," Dawn called to the leather-clad form leaning against the outside of the crypt, cigarette perched between his lips, bottle of beer in one hand.

"'Lo, Nibblet," he replied around the cigarette.

Dawn took a deep breath. "I, uh, brought you some pie. Anya made it." She held out a plastic container to him.

He plucked the cigarette from his mouth with the hand holding the beer and accepted the container. "Yeah? Thanks."

"Missed you at dinner," she said softly, looking at her feet.

He shrugged and his duster creaked. "Wasn't gonna go."

"I know. Not after…" she trailed off and looked up at his face.

Spike closed his eyes and took a drag from his cigarette. "Come inside, Nibblet. Don't fancy eavesdroppers." He pushed the crypt door open and let her enter first.

*****

"Angel, he hasn't even come to get his gift." Buffy sat on the couch and stared at the Christmas tree with the solitary, foil-wrapped box beneath it.

Angel sat beside her. "I don't see why you're so upset about this. He's never been high on your list, Buffy."

"I know," she said softly. "But today was different. I was there, at his crypt, and it was so beautiful. I can't believe I just said that about a crypt." She took a breath. "Angel, it was… different. Not Spike. Then he got this great gift for Xander for the Pollyanna. I just don't understand, I guess."

"I can't believe I'm going to say this, but Spike does have this ability to do something nice. It's not a trick he often pulls out of the hat, but when he sets his mind on something…"

"He does it right."

Angel nodded and put his hand on Buffy's. "Ever think that you should just accept this for what it is… Spike being in the Christmas spirit."

"As opposed to Spike just trying to look good so I won't kill him?"

Angel smirked. "This goes a little beyond Spike attention getting, Buffy."

"I know that." She sighed and looked at the tree again. "Angel, would you do something for me?"

*****

"You didn't even come by to get your present." Dawn blinked up at him, holding back tears.

He took a long pull from his beer and fell into his chair, tossed the plastic pie container on the table, then looked up at her. "I had a present?"

Dawn smiled. "Yeah. You were part of the Pollyanna, you get a present."

He twitched his eyebrows. "Keep it."

"I didn't draw your name, Spike. But I'll tell who did that you don't want the gift, if you want."

"Yeah. Do that. I don't want it. Don't want that sodding tree. Or the sodding candles. Or the bleeding rug. Take whatever you want. 'Cept the popcorn string. Like that."

Her smile grew wider. "You do?"

"You made it, right?" Dawn nodded. "Big sis didn't help?" He watched Dawn shake her head. "Yeah. Like it."

"You're really angry at her, aren't you?"

"Can we talk about something else?" He drained the rest of his beer.

"Spike, she was really disappointed when you didn't show up for dinner tonight." Dawn was trying; she wanted this resolved. She knew Buffy could be nice and could even be nice to Spike. She also knew Spike had tried; he had put up the Christmas tree and other decorations. Where he found them, she had no idea, but his crypt looked really festive. Then, Buffy screwed everything up with one comment. Dawn looked to the ceiling and noticed the mistletoe was still there. "Hey, Spike."

"What?"

"Come here." Dawn positioned herself underneath the mistletoe.

Spike pushed himself out of the chair and walked to where she was standing. "What?" Dawn pointed over her head and Spike looked up and sighed. "No."

"Hey, it's like tradition or something, or so Anya says." She smiled at him and grabbed the front of his shirt, tugging him toward her.

"Nibblet," Spike groaned.

"Spike," she snarled back, tugging harder. He relented and let her pull him close. She smiled up at him now. "You know the drill, Big Bad. Kiss me."

He smirked back at her. "You know, Nibblet…" he stopped when she placed a finger over his mouth. "Right. Mistletoe." He lifted her from the ground and she let out a squeak, then he pressed his lips to hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck. It only took a moment before she began kissing back, sliding her fingers into his hair, trying to keep him close. He pulled away and put her back on the ground, but she kept her arms around him. "Nibblet, let go." He tugged gently at her arms until she released him.

"Just thought you'd want something nice for Christmas."

"Thanks. Had something, 'til she took it back."

Dawn sighed. "What did she take back, Spike?"

He glanced toward the tree, then back to the floor, and began digging in his duster for a pack of cigarettes.

"Oh. Yeah. I told her about that."

"Yeah?" Spike asked, raising his head, cigarette in one hand, lighter in the other. "What'd she say?"

Dawn frowned. "Not much really. She was acting different though. Had Angel take down the mistletoe at home."

"Angel," Spike huffed. "Bloody figures."

Dawn sighed. "Do you want me to go?"

Spike lit his cigarette and leaned against the support pillar, thinking. "Buffy was disappointed?"

Blinking rapidly, Dawn gave Spike a confused look. What the hell was he talking about? She thought for a moment, then remembered… "Oh, yeah. She kept watching the door, like she was expecting you to show up. It irritated Angel, if that makes you feel better."

Spike snorted a laugh at her. "Maybe a little. Why, Nibblet?" She gave him another look of confusion. "Why couldn't she just…" He waved it off and took a drag from his cigarette.

"I don't know, Spike, but…" Dawn stopped when she heard the knock at the door.

*****

"Buffy, you gonna be okay?" Willow asked, handing her friend a warm mug of cocoa, then sitting by her on the couch.

Buffy drank a sip from the mug. "Yeah. I guess. I just don't understand."

"You or him?" Willow asked and caught the confusion in Buffy's face. "You don't understand yourself or Spike? What are you more upset about? That he didn't come and ruin your Christmas dinner and give you the satisfaction of throwing him out, or that he didn't come to get your present. Or, is it that he actually did something nice and it's thrown your universe out of whack?"

"I don't know, Will." She set her mug down and lowered her head to her hands. "I just don't know. Everything was going so well. I was sure he was going to show up and make a pain of himself. Then, I saw what he gave Xander for Christmas, and I was sure he was going to show up and surprise the hell out of me by playing nice. But, he didn't do any of that. He just holed up in his crypt and…"

"Surprised the hell out of you in a bad way?" Willow offered.

"Yeah. I don't get him."

*****

"Get the bloody hell out, Angel! Now!" Spike snapped and threw the beer bottle in his hand across the room, missing Angel's head by less than an inch. Dawn shrieked and ducked behind the concrete bier.

Angel whipped around and snarled at the blond vampire. "Are you insane?"

"No. Pissed off. Get out! I'm not going to that sodding house! She can keep her bloody present! And be sure to tell her she's not welcome here!" Spike punctuated his last statement with a fist to Angel's jaw. The broody vampire took the hit, then turned back and caught Spike under the chin, sending him flying across the crypt.

"You can yell at me all you want, Spike, but when you hit me, I hit back." Angel rubbed his knuckles, he had hit Spike harder than he had intended, but the bastard had pissed him off. "I'll tell Buffy to leave you alone. Dawn, I think you'd better come back with me." He extended a hand to the girl, still crouched behind the bier.

Slowly, she rose and walked across the crypt, taking Angel's hand. "I'm sorry, Spike." Then, she turned and left the crypt.

"It's not your fault, Nibblet," Spike mumbled and rubbed his jaw.

*****

"What?" Buffy snapped. "What do you mean he doesn't want to come?" She stopped in the middle of the living room and glared at Angel and Dawn.

"He said he didn't want to come," Angel stated plainly, calmly.

"And what? He decided, instead, to beat you up?" Buffy snarled, pointing at the bruise on Angel's face.

Angel sighed. "No. That was a punctuation mark," he indicated the bruise. "So, I punctuated back. He's fine. I'm fine. Buffy, just leave him alone."

"I agree to host dinner here. I agree to play Pollyanna, even don't object to letting him play. I draw his name, of all the names in the hat and buy him a gift - rather nice one too, by the way. And he doesn't want to come here for Christmas at all?"

Dawn stepped forward. "Uh, Buffy, I think you're missing an important part of that timeline." Buffy blinked and glared at her sister. "The little trip to Spike's this afternoon? The wreath? The popcorn on a string? The tree and mistletoe? Ring any bells?"

Buffy stepped around and sat in the nearby arm chair, her head in her hands. "I ruined Christmas."

"That may be taking things a little too far, Buffy," Angel said.

She looked up. "No. I did. I wanted it all to be perfect. And, you know… no, you know what. I didn't ruin Christmas. He did. He was invited, he didn't come, his problem."

"Yeah right," Dawn mumbled.

"What?"

Dawn put her hands on her hips. "I said, yeah right. You want Spike to get that gift so you can throw it in his face every time you see him after this. So it's a constant reminder how you did something so nice and he, in your eyes, never does anything right. Whatever. I'm going to bed." She turned on her heel and stomped up the stairs.

Buffy took several breaths, then looked up at Angel, who was just standing there, hands in his pockets, expressionless. "I just wanted Christmas."

"So did Spike, apparently," Angel commented.

"He doesn't want my gift?"

Angel shook his head. "No." He waited, patiently, but Buffy said nothing. "So, what are you going to do with it?" he asked.

Buffy blinked at him, took a glance at the gift under the tree, then turned back to Angel. "Leave it under the tree."


End file.
